A drone shot of the Minnesota State University Mankato campus.Courtesy of Minnesota State University Mankato | 2024Go Deeper.CloseCreate an account or log in to save stories We have added it to a list of your favorite stories Mankato will eliminate 86 programs and certificates from its academic course offerings It’s also considering an 8 percent tuition increase The university started reviewing its academic program portfolio last summer The school said it periodically reviews its portfolio to align with student demand and to project future economic needs Its current offerings consist of more than 300 degree programs and certificates The university’s new academic program portfolio will have 216 programs and certificates Some degree programs and certificates will merge with others and create interdisciplinary opportunities Others with low student enrollment will be suspended There will also be opportunities to enroll in new course offerings MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all Students enrolled in suspended programs will be able to finish through teach-out plans “Our hope is that either by redeploying them into parallel programs and through the teach-out process and then through the natural sequence of retiring that this will not adversely affect too many if any,” MSU Mankato President Edward Inch said “The more important part is the ongoing hiring strategy will be to those areas where we're trying to build capacity.”  the university held a series of meetings with students and community members Inch acknowledged “not everybody’s happy with it.” “But in terms of the long-term sustainability what the university is going to be able to do and meet the demands that our state’s going to have for workforce we think this is the best alignment possible,” he said “Preserving those elements of the curriculum that are most important to the university for identity and the role that we play in this region.” MSU Mankato is facing a tight budget next year Inch said he still doesn’t know what the state Legislature will pass for the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system but suspects “it’s going to be close to where [Gov Tim Walz’s] budget was,” which would be a reduction The university is also proposing an 8 percent tuition increase MSU Mankato has had a tuition freeze for the last four years The Minnesota State Board of Trustees will review tuition rates in June our commitment to our students remains unwavering,” Inch said well-rounded and comprehensive educational experience that reflects their priorities and aligns with the future community and economic needs of our region and state.” The school said the review process isn’t new Inch said the university used this process for several years — also known as strategic budget planning A series of town halls and college discussions were held and the review process included recommendations from constituents and multiple listening sessions indicated there was an “imbalance of where resources were going,” and that there were program duplicates “Twenty percent of our programs were accommodating 80 percent of our students,” Inch said So this process was an attempt to realign and be able to shift some resources to where they need to be as well as identifying some cost savings.” This realignment means eliminating 86 programs and certificates affecting about 1.6 percent of current students enrolled in degree programs and 0.8 percent of students in certificate programs “We are committed to ensuring that all students currently affected by these suspensions will have an opportunity to finish their programs here,” he said we will review and map out the pathway to completion for each of those students.” A list of affected programs and certificates is available on MSU Mankato’s website. Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application 2025 at Hosanna Lutheran Church in Mankato Burial will be in Union Cemetery in Mapleton memorials preferred to Mayo Clinic Cancer Research and Care – https://give.mayoclinic.org/ Northview – North Mankato Mortuary is in charge of arrangements She graduated from Mapleton High School and attended Mankato Commercial College She was a lifelong member of the Lutheran Church David (Sarah) Keller and Joan (Joseph) Muckenhirn; grandchildren Lucas (Elley) and Will (Anissa) Keller and John Daniel and David Muckenhirn; great-grandchildren Ardis was preceded in death by her husband Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Minnesota Farmers Union kicks off Week of Action Mankato Area Residents are Invited to Join the Walk to End Alzheimer’s Volunteer Committee Privacy Policy EEO Public File Contest Rules Public Inspection Files FCC Applications Advertise With Us Employment Opportunities Disability Access Contact Info Linder Digital Linder Farm Network KXAC click here During the 2025 NCAA DII Softball Selection Show Monday morning 8 seed in the Central Region and will now take on top-seeded Central Oklahoma in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament INDIANAPOLIS - During the 2025 NCAA DII Softball Selection Show Monday morning The Mavericks are set to play the Bronchos in Edmond The 64-team championship field will start with regionals on May 8 four teams will participate at each of 16 regional sites in a double-elimination tournament The 16 teams advancing from regional competition will then participate in a two-team best-of-three super regional at eight sites The finals will include the eight super regional winners The national champion will be determined in a best-of-three final series The Central Region is made up of schools from the NSIC Minnesota State finished its regular season second in the NSIC standings the Mavericks were ranked eighth in the Regional Rankings MSU defeated Wayne State in walk-off fashion thanks to an RBI single hit by freshman lead off hitter Carly Kimmes in the NSIC Tournament last week The team fell short in its semifinal game against Winona State The Warriors went on to lose in the NSIC Tournament Championship to Augustana 3 in the Central Region during the selection show The Vikings were the only other NSIC school to be selected to the NCAA Tournament and will take on Missouri Southern State Minnesota State is 9-1 against Central Oklahoma The last time these teams faced off was earlier this season at the Washburn Invite in Topeka Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here of Mankato went to be with the Lord on Thursday at Mayo Health Systems Mankato surrounded by family at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Mankato Memorials preferred to Our Savior's Lutheran Church the family or a charity of your choice.  and married at United Lutheran Church in Zumbrota She graduated from Zumbrota High School in 1954 and earned her associate's degree in education from Mankato State College They were blessed to be married for 34 years and made their home in North Mankato where they raised their family of five children being a mother/grandmother/great-grandmother was her most fulfilling life achievement She was an active member of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church enjoying serving on Human Care Board She was active in Girl Scouting and involved with Cub & Boy Scouts Volunteering for VINE and Habitat for Humanity brought her joy and friendships Later she would be on the receiving end of VINE's wonderful volunteer program Being a Ramblin’ Roses “Red Hat” lady allowed her to make more friends Working as a Title 1 aid and later as a secretary for Mankato Area Public Schools allowed her to work in education and retire in 1996 After retiring she was an officer and member of the Retired Educators group playing 500 with several clubs (including Nicollet Avenue neighborhood ladies that played together for 50+ years) were hobbies she especially enjoyed Over the years she acquired many many many angels from friends and loved ones who knew she was drawn to the earthly symbol of spiritual beings daughter in law Judy Burnett; grandchildren Carol Peterman; and many nieces and nephews The family greatly appreciates the many big hearted care givers from Freedom Home Healthcare and Ecumen Pathstone Assisted Living and Long Term Care Team who cared for Joan the past 8 years Our deepest gratitude also goes to the Emergency Room team at Mayo Mankato who went above and beyond for our mother and us during her final hours Students from Minnesota State University Mankato and the University of Minnesota were detained late last week Minnesota State University Mankato was searching for answers Monday after disclosing that one of its students was detained by ICE a day after immigration authorities had arrested a University of Minnesota student Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Friday and no reason was given said President Edward Inch in a letter to the campus “The university has received no information from ICE and they have not requested any information from us,” he wrote “I have contacted our elected officials to share my concerns and ask for their help in stopping this activity within our community of learners Our international students play an important role in our campus and community They are a valued part of our campus culture.” As first reported by the New York Times, the U student, who is a Turkish citizen, filed a federal lawsuit Sunday challenging his arrest. According to the Times story, the man said in the suit he was taken into custody Thursday morning after he stepped out of his St. Paul home to head to class. After he was driven to ICE offices, officials reportedly told the student his visa had been “retroactively revoked,” according to the Times. In the lawsuit, the man said he feared he was being kidnapped. The lawsuit names President Donald Trump and several other officials including U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem as respondents. As of Monday night, access to the petition and other documents of the federal lawsuit appear to be restricted. The student’s attorney didn’t respond to requests for comment. The Department of Homeland Security told the Associated Press in a statement Monday that the U student’s visa was revoked due to a “prior criminal history for a DUI” and unrelated to student protests. Following a series of student speeches Monday outside Morrill Hall, Max Vast, president of AFSCME Local 3800, told the crowd that state Sen. Omar Fateh had just told Vast about the Mankato student’s arrest. “We’re here today doing this and these attacks keep happening … We call on University of Minnesota President [Rebecca] Cunningham but also the [Minnesota State Colleges and Universities] leadership to do something about this,” Vast said. Protesters clapped and shouted, “No more ICE on campus!” Unlike criminal arrests, immigration arrests are not documented in publicly available reports. Fateh, DFL-Minneapolis, told reporters that he received the Mankato letter a few hours before and was trying to find an attorney on the student’s behalf. DHS did not respond Monday to messages seeking more information on the arrests. In recent weeks, Trump has been increasing efforts to arrest and deport student activists who protested against Israel and in support of Palestinians. According to the Times, the U student and his attorney said in the lawsuit that he had not participated in campus protests or been politically outspoken. The U.S. government has the authority to put temporary visa holders and even permanent legal residents in deportation proceedings for various criminal violations. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., said her office is working with Minnesota State University Mankato and is pressing ICE for more information. Minnesota State Mankato has more than 1,700 international students. The U’s Twin Cities campus has more than 6,000 international students, and there are nearly 15,000 in the state of Minnesota. The Mankato campus president encouraged people on campus to reach out to resources such as the Global Education Centers, Counseling Center and 211 Basic Needs Resource Hub if they need support. Cyrille Date, president of the International Student Association at the university, said that with so little information available Monday, “everybody’s kind of on the edge right now waiting to hear more.” “As international students, we were warned of what could come with this new administration, but everyone was under the assumption that if you were here legally, then you should have nothing to worry about,” Date said. “We’re here legally, so we’re not really sure why anyone on this campus or any campus in America would be targeted.” Elliot Hughes and Erin Adler of the Minnesota Star Tribune contributed to this story, which also contains material from the Associated Press and the New York Times. Maya Rao covers race and immigration for the Star Tribune. Outdoor Activities The state’s “Big 10″ account for nearly half of the annual harvest Nurseries and garden clubs across Minnesota are offering a variety of flower The cost of new arena is projected at $21 million and this situation is unlike any we have navigated before,” the university president said in a statement A few days after an international student was detained by immigration authorities five other students at Minnesota State University Mankato have seen their student visas terminated The development was announced in a statement late Wednesday by the university’s president He said neither the university nor the students received notification of the termination of their records within the Student Exchange Visitor Information System by the U.S The changes were only discovered after the university “ran a status check.” a professor of history and the director of the school’s Kessel Peace Institute attended an assembly Wednesday in which Inch revealed the developments He said the students have not been detained by the U.S they have been asked to self-deport within 60 days One of the students who lost their visa was close to completing their studies Inch said at the student assembly on Wednesday “We’re going to do our best to ensure the students are able to complete their classes,” he said Inch said in his statement that the university is assisting with immigration attorney referrals to the affected students and is connecting with all other international students to inform them of their rights and resources available to them and this situation is unlike any we have navigated before,” Inch said “I also ask for our community to stand together in support of our students and our staff as a shared and valued learning community.” The move comes after a wave of high-profile arrests of international students at universities across the country some of whom participated in campus activism surrounding Israel’s war in Gaza In the last week, two university students in Minnesota have been detained by ICE – an unidentified student at Minnesota State University, Mankato, and another, Doğukan Günaydin at the University of Minnesota’s Twin Cities campus The Associated Press contributed to this story. Elliot Hughes is a general assignment reporter for the Star Tribune. Jp Lawrence is a reporter for the Star Tribune covering southwest Minnesota. Thanks for visiting Game Recap: Baseball | 5/3/2025 4:00:00 PM Thanks for visiting As part of our commitment to expanding high school sports coverage we are livestreaming prep softball and baseball games from some of the best Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota teams this season Come back to this article page an hour before the game begins to see the livestream feed Upcoming livestreams: To watch these livestreams, visit startribune.com/live on the scheduled game date A full replay from this game will be available on this page shortly after the event ends For results from this game and others played across the state, visit the MN Baseball Hub — the premier online source for Minnesota high school baseball scores, schedules, stats, rankings, recruiting news, livestreams, video highlights and more. High Schools has a state-high 40 goals in seven games for St The Raiders have lost only once and will have a chance to avenge that one this week Minnesota high school scores and results for all sports from around the state I hope you’ve been enjoying our recent weather—because it looks like we’re going to be stuck with it for at least the next week stationary area of high pressure is parked over the upper Midwest and it’s going to be a while before it budges and our overall weather pattern shifts warm temperatures and not much wind through the rest of this week and the upcoming weekend but a lot of places will climb into the low 80s by the weekend This image updates in real time as information changes KEYC First Alert 10 Day Forecast: This image updates in real time as the forecast changes KEYC First Alert Planner Forecast: This image updates in real time as the forecast changes The Alzheimer’s Association MN-ND Chapter is currently seeking volunteer committee members to assist in planning the Walk to End Alzheimer’s® – Greater Mankato casual event helps the Association keep its local education classes 24/7 Helpline and resources free for individuals and families Funds also advance critical dementia research for treatments and a cure It will take place at Spring Lake Park in North Mankato Registration for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s – Greater Mankato is now open, and community members are encouraged to sign up and fundraise to help the Alzheimer’s Association reach its $125,000 goal. Sign up is free at act.alz.org/mankato and each person receives their own fundraising web page that is easy to personalize and share 7.2 million people are living with Alzheimer’s more than 11 million family members and friends provide unpaid care to people living with dementia there are nearly 102,000 people aged 65+ living with the disease Judy had dementia for 9 years but still traveled and remained at home for 7 years Celebration of Judy’s life will be held at 11am at Northview – North Mankato Mortuary Family graveside service will be held in Chisholm at a later date and watch her service livestreamed at www.mankatomortuary.com Memorials are preferred to Dementia Friends Minnesota (www.dementiafriendsmn.org/donate or 1265 Grey Fox Road Joseph’s Indian School (www.stjo.org/help-native-americans-memorials/) or St Judy will be remembered for her magical smile that lit up the room Judy graduated from Mankato West High School in 1964 She received her bachelor’s degree from MSU in Elementary Education and a master’s degree in Elementary Counseling Colorado; and was the Elementary Counselor in New Ulm for 23 years She was the first elementary counselor in SW Minnesota Judy wrote beautiful poetry of which some was published She enjoyed her many years with the Southern MN Poets Society She always had time and concern for the international student body at MSU regardless of race or creed she continued schooling as a spiritual counselor at Hope Interfaith Center in Mankato Her spiritual work transcended emotional ties to those with physical or mental issues Judy gave 100% to those in need and always sought out those less fortunate than herself Judy was united in marriage to Jerry Mosca on June 12 Judy and Jerry loved to travel and had numerous trips to Mexico Judy loved Hawaii and they renewed their vows after 25 years of marriage in Princeville Judy and Jerry wintered for 20 years in Arizona and California Dancing was often on the calendar whether it be oldies or polka at a wedding play tickets to MSU productions were enjoyed by Judy and her circle of friends Each year an MSU scholarship will be awarded to an Elementary Counseling student in Judy’s name Her involvement with the Native American Community was well-known and powwows were on the calendar each fall She was a strong supporter and donor to the St When the miracle white buffalo was born in Wisconsin Judy and Jerry journeyed there to view that wonder Judy was kind to everyone and was the friend everyone wished they had 2025 at Mayo Clinic Health Systems in Mankato Visitation will be held from 4:00-7:00pm on May 9 Funeral Service will be held 11:00am on May 10 Olive Lutheran Church in Mankato with visitation one hour prior Burial to follow at Memorial Park Cemetery in Good Thunder The live stream link below is a complimentary service provided by Mankato Area Funeral Homes and/or acoustical circumstances may produce a diminished end product we are attempting to record and publish the service for later viewing Click to watch Join us for the Mankato Job Fair at the Courtyard by Marriott on Thursday Part-time and full-time positions are available 2025 at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church Burial will be held at a later date in Pilgrim’s Rest Cemetery memorials preferred to Our Savior’s Lutheran Church Livestream of the service will be available at www.mankatomortuary.com They were married May 29th ,1949 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Nicollet Mona and Vern moved south of Nicollet in 1963 where they milked dairy cattle and farmed for 30 years Mom loved spending time with family and friends She was active in the Nicollet American Legion and the Ladies aid at church Mona is survived by her husband of 76 years and Tyler; 11 great-grandchildren; 2 great-great-grandchildren as well as many other family members and friends Mona was preceded in death by her daughter Click to watch surrounded by members of her loving family Visitation will be one hour before the service Interment will be in Calvary Cemetery in Mankato.  Mankato Mortuary is in charge of arrangements (Friedrichs) Jones in Mankato and was the fifth of fifteen children Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Mankato and continued to live in the area Was an employee of MCTC/HickoryTech from 1963 until retirement in 2002 I enjoyed volunteering in many areas at St Joseph the Worker Catholic Church in Mankato In 2003 I attended the Lay Formation classes through the Diocese of Winona graduating in 2006 as a Commissioned Bereavement Minister I used these skills whenever the occasion arose where my initial spiritual journey began through the Sacraments I was Co-Chairman of the Terrace View Ladies League for 4 years Never truly mastered the game but enjoyed the challenge I was diagnosed with Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis (fungus in the lungs) from breathing in spores from the dust of dead trees and bark that we harvested for supplemental heat was diagnosed with Interstitial Lung Disease (Fibrosis) from burning the wood in our home throughout the 70’s & 80’s Over the years the fungus continued to grow in my lungs I have read that 2 or 3 people out of 100,000 can get this in their lungs Susan Jones and Jane Funfsinn; father and mother-in-law: Joseph and Audrey Funfsinn; nephew Prefer Mass intentions for Susan or donations to Ss Family and friends are invited to gather for lunch in Jesuit Hall following the service I want to thank the Mayo Clinic Health System and Pallative Care for their loving care to me Click to watch MankatoPlayListenMankato student visa revocations may have been due to social media postsGo Deeper.CloseCreate an account or log in to save stories Minnesota State University in Mankato was hit harder than most — it was home to about half of those students MSU Mankato is the largest school in the system and has more than 1,700 international students Jameel Haque is an associate professor of History at Minnesota State University-Mankato and director of the university’s Kessel Peace Institute He said they still don’t know why the students lost their visas “It might be related to social media posts But there’s really no clear answer as to who and why they’re being targeted,” Haque told MPR News host Tom Crann “There doesn’t seem to be any specific allegations against them except that they voiced opinions that are unpopular with our political leaders.” Press play above to listen to their conversation South Central College (SCC) will host Transfer Open Houses at the college’s North Mankato Campus on Tuesday Both events will take place from 3 – 6 p.m giveaways and information on how students can start their bachelor’s degree at SCC Attendees will have the opportunity to meet with faculty from SCC’s transfer programs which allow students to complete the first half of their bachelor’s degree at the college before transferring to a Minnesota State system university as a junior Representatives from five of the Minnesota State system universities where students can transfer after their time at SCC will also be at one or both campus events to answer questions Universities represented include Minnesota State University Cloud State University and Winona State University students have had the ability to start their bachelor’s degree at SCC South Central College introduced its associate of arts degree program which helps students meet the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum requirements and prepares them to transfer into a variety of university programs SCC has added 10 focused Minnesota State Transfer Pathway programs which enable students to earn their associate degree at South Central College and transfer 60 credits toward a related bachelor’s degree at one of the seven Minnesota state universities SCC currently has Transfer Pathway degrees in accounting More information about the Open Houses and South Central College’s Transfer options is available at www.southcentral.edu/TransferOptions of Mankato passed away peacefully Saturday at Mankato Mortuary and will continue one hour before the service at the church and married at Bethlehem Lutheran Church of Mankato She graduated from Mankato High School in 1957 She took classes at MSU and worked as a nurse aide at Immanuel Hospital Virginia where Chuck completed his years of service in the army They moved back to Mankato where they started their family She was a member of Our Savior’s Lutheran church where she worked on the Outreach Committee sang in the choir and was the leader for the greeter program She was a 4-H leader for 35 years in Blue Earth County and served on the State Fair Poultry show committee for 25 years Bev was an infant foster care parent for many years and a Title 1 paraprofessional for Mankato Area Public Schools for 23 years Jonathan (fiancé Abby) and Thomas (fiancé Sydney) Fitzloff and Lilly Fitzloff; sister and brother-in-law Della and Walter Stoll; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law The live stream link below is a complimentary service provided by Click to watch After a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer MN to John and Karlyn (Glatzmaier) Schwartz He graduated from Gaylord High School in 1986 and Gustavus Adolphus College in 1990 where he played both football and baseball Tim was inducted into the Gustavus Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008 and carried the leadership lessons learned on the field into life and the critical role of teammates in achieving goals Tim spent 35 years in the insurance industry the majority working for Brown & Brown Insurance could not have been a more perfect fit for Tim He lived by these values in his professional life and in his roles as father Tim started dating Monde Wisch in the fall of 1985 1992 and were blessed with three boys; Samuel (Kristin) Schwartz snowball fight that completely overtook the front yard Tim’s “Kid at Heart” personality meant he was always ready to play Trips to the grocery store or gas station were filled with the newest most senseless purchases and every family member was drug along at one point or another to a gimmicky Tim’s thirst for adventure came in handy He made it to 28 of the 63 and relished every minute shared hiking with his boys Tim showed his love for people by spending quality time with them He resisted pressures to get overly involved in any number of distracting projects or committees and instead chose to focus on friends and family His tendency to be late for EVERYTHING was affectionately nicknamed Tim was a longtime member of Crossview Covenant Church where he developed a faith that was instrumental in his fight against cancer He knew God shared his sadness and was with him in his suffering Tim was also comforted by his confidence in heaven and God’s promise of paradise Schwartz and Jim (Madalyn) Schwartz; sister Susan (Mark) Devereaux; mother and father-in-law Alicia (Dan) Truebenbach; and numerous nieces 2025 at Northview - North Mankato Mortuary North Mankato with visitation one hour prior Northview - North Mankato Mortuary is in charge of arrangements Memorials may be directed to MN Adult and Teen Challenge or the American Cancer Society. Please share a memory of Tim with his family, view his video tribute and watch the live stream service at www.mankatomortuary.com The live stream link below is a complimentary service provided by  Click to watch passed away peacefully at his home with family by his side on Friday 2025 after a courageous battle with esophageal cancer Visitation will be held at 11:00 am Friday with the funeral service following at 1:00 PM Burial will be immediately after the service at Glenwood Cemetery Mankato MN with a celebration of life at 4:00 PM at The Crooked Pint MN when he was three where he spent his youth until he graduated from Hibbing Memorial High School in June of 1989 he joined the US Army as a ground surveillance specialist and served in the Gulf War in Kuwait for 9 months he received multiple commendations including the Army Commendation Medal Southwest Asia Service Medal with 2 Bronze Stars MN where he attended Hibbing Community College studying Accounting While at HCC he played both hockey and football He married Dani (Jewett) Westerlund in August of 1995 Zach Westerlund (33) and Austin Westerlund (28) MN in the fall of 1995 where Jason enrolled at Minnesota State Mankato and completed his degree in Accounting in June of 1999 He also played defensive line for Mavericks football and developed life-long friendships with his teammates where Jason worked as a loan officer at Security State Bank for 5 years where he worked for 22 years as a Senior Risk Examiner He loved his job and had many wonderful experiences with his colleagues while traveling to locations in Southern-Central Minnesota as well as to FDIC Headquarters in Arlington Jason was passionate about football and hockey serving as youth coaches for Mankato Youth Football and Mankato Area Hockey Association and served on the Hockey Board for several years he played men’s league hockey with Blue Bricks for almost 20 years watching his beloved Mavericks play football and hockey as a long-time season ticket holder Jason met Janet (Grob) Westerlund in 2014 and they were married in April 2017 he was well recognized due to his deep connections throughout the Mankato community He will be most remembered for his gentle demeanor kindness and willingness to help anyone at any time Jason is survived by his wife and soulmate Janet Westerlund Stepson Ben Moldstad (Laura) and Stepdaughter Nicole Sturman (Billy) Jason was preceded in death by his grandparents Francis and Vivian Westerlund donations may be made in his honor to Mankato Area Hockey Association (MAHA) – Jason Westerlund Memorial Account Click to watch